Abstract

This ontology is for modelling decisions and thus the causes for actions or the use or generation of things. It allows for a better understanding of *why* something might have taken place, have been used or produced than the more generic [PROV ontology](https://www.w3.org/TR/prov-o/), on which it is mainly based, does.

The specialised decision modelling elements of this ontology have been derived from the [W3C Decisions and Decision-Making Incubator Group](https://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/decision/)'s Decision Ontology (DO) which can be found at . Many DO classes have been aligned with the PROV-O since it is widely recognised that analysing the elements of decisions *post hoc* is an exercise in provenance.

Unlike the original DO, this ontology cannot be used for *normative* scenarios: it is only capable of recording decisions that have already been made (so-called *data-driven* use in the DO). This is because PROV, does not have a templating system which can indicate what *should* occur in future scenarios.

This ontology introduces only one new element for decision modelling over that which was present in the DO: an Agent which allows agency in decision making to be recorded.

Option Selection is a process (prov:Activity) through which a decision-making Agent selects something.
At least two Option Selection Activities, possibly more, must be run in parrallel by an Agent and at least one must yield an outcome in order for a Question to be answered.

Requirements require something from an OptionSelection Activity. They indicate their requirement with a set (a class) of objects. They are then satisified by the presense of an onject within that class. Multiple Requirements can be intersected to require very specific OptionSelection outcomes.